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Brewers honor top Minors players Morris, Burgos

Brewers honor top Minors players Morris, Burgos

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Hunter Morris

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MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers honored Minor League Player of the Year Hunter Morris and Minor League Pitcher of the Year Hiram Burgos in a pregame ceremony at Miller Park on Friday, but Morris' season isn't over and Burgos hopes his isn't, either.

Morris will play in the Arizona Fall League beginning next month, and Burgos revealed Friday that he has been throwing at the Brewers' training complex in Phoenix, just in case he's needed before the big league season is over.

"The good thing is that I [am] available, I am healthy, I am still throwing my bullpens," said Burgos, who was discussed as a September callup candidate. "I'm still ready to go. Anything can happen, so right now I'm not disappointed or anything. I made a big jump this year, going through three levels."

Burgos, 25, was 10-4 with a 1.95 ERA in 28 starts and one relief appearance in a 2012 season that began at advanced Class A Brevard County and took him to Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville.

The former sixth-round Draft pick held his own at the franchise's top affiliate, posting a 2.91 ERA in eight starts at Nashville.

"It was my fourth year at the Minor League level, and it was time to put everything together," he said.

The same went for Morris, 23, a fourth-round Draft pick in 2010 who played his third Minor League season and added strong defense to his potent bat.

The Brewers have long known Morris could hit -- and he did again in 2012, batting .303 with 28 home runs and 113 RBIs for Huntsville -- but challenged him at the end of last season to improve at first base. Morris had an experienced teacher in Huntsville manager Darnell Coles, who played all over the diamond during 13 Major League seasons.

"This year it all seemed to come together. It clicked," Morris said. "Out of the 139 games we played, before about 130 of them, I was out for early work for nothing but defense. That was my biggest focus this year, and it made a huge difference. Being comfortable at first base on the defensive side of it took a lot of pressure off at the plate."

And he thrived at the plate, becoming the first Huntsville player to win Southern League MVP honors since Corey Hart in 2003.